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Thanks! What I meant by filter cartridges are the things you put in the actual filter that needs to be replaced every month or two. My Filter says 40 gallons. When I first got my aquarium, someone suggested it. Thank you all for helping me out!

Yes, I know what you meant : ) - there is NO need to replace these cartridges - once they are tossed, the bacteria you need to maintain your cycle is also tossed and you have to cycle the tank all over again - trust me - all you need to do once your tank is cycled to is to take out the cartridges and rinse them in used tank water when you do a water change.

All filter manufacturers recommend replacing the media because that's how they make $.

Really??? Well that's gonna save me a good 20 bucks a month! It looks nasty after a month but I've never tried just washing it off. Thank you! I understand companies need to make money but sometimes it's them just lying to us to get our money....

I agree on the filter replacement, though we may be talking different things here. If you have chemical filtration, meaning filter cartridges that contain carbon and similar substances, they will weaken with use to the point where the carbon will no longer be effective. The time this takes depends upon what the carbon is adsorbing [and I meant adsorbing, not absorbing here], since it can only take up so much. However, as you intend live plants, use of carbon or any other chemical filtration is not advisable since these compete with the plants for essential nutrients. With plants, filtration need only be mechanical and some biological. With these, just keep the filter media clean by rinsing as needed so the particulate matter being removed is washed out and the water continues to flow through the media. You can do this rinsing weekly or less often. In my tanks with sponge filters I rinse them every week at the water change; my canisters I take apart and rinse every 2-3 months, depending upon the tank and how dirty they get.

A comment on your cycling. Again with live plants, this is not an issue. Once you have plants in the tank, I would add a few fish. The nitrifying bacteria can actually live quite a time without ammonia, something we didn't know until some scientific evidence pointed this out a couple years ago. I rely on plants for all this anyway.

Byron.

Byron Hosking, BMus, MA
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Something we all need to remember: The fish you've acquired was quite happy not being owned by you, minding its own business. If you’re going to take it under your wing then you’re responsible for it. Every aspect of its life is under your control, from water quality and temperature to swimming space. [Nathan Hill in PFK]

[QUOTE=Byron;1181340]I agree on the filter replacement, though we may be talking different things here. If you have chemical filtration, meaning filter cartridges that contain carbon and similar substances, they will weaken with use to the point where the carbon will no longer be effective. The time this takes depends upon what the carbon is adsorbing [and I meant adsorbing, not absorbing here], since it can only take up so much. However, as you intend live plants, use of carbon or any other chemical filtration is not advisable since these compete with the plants for essential nutrients.

I just found the box that the filters came in. On the side it says "Each is packed with black diamond pure activated carbon - now works twice as fast and keeps working after other carbons quit." I'm looking now on petsmarts website to see if they have any without the carbon that would fit my Filter. Is the carbon filter a deal breaker for the plants? About a year ago I tried my luck with plants, I got a Moneywort and some type of java fern. Both died but I also found out I didn't plant them right. Is there a grassy plant that's easy to care for and doesn't spread rapidly?

I agree on the filter replacement, though we may be talking different things here. If you have chemical filtration, meaning filter cartridges that contain carbon and similar substances, they will weaken with use to the point where the carbon will no longer be effective. The time this takes depends upon what the carbon is adsorbing [and I meant adsorbing, not absorbing here], since it can only take up so much. However, as you intend live plants, use of carbon or any other chemical filtration is not advisable since these compete with the plants for essential nutrients.

I just found the box that the filters came in. On the side it says "Each is packed with black diamond pure activated carbon - now works twice as fast and keeps working after other carbons quit." I'm looking now on petsmarts website to see if they have any without the carbon that would fit my Filter. Is the carbon filter a deal breaker for the plants? About a year ago I tried my luck with plants, I got a Moneywort and some type of java fern. Both died but I also found out I didn't plant them right. Is there a grassy plant that's easy to care for and doesn't spread rapidly?

You have two options. If you use the carbon inserts, the carbon will become exhausted at some point and then serve solely as mechanical and biological filtration. Rinse weekly and as long as it holds together, no issue. If you introduce live plants, I would not myself recommend this option, as it is going to be removing nutrients that the plants will need and in a new tank nutrients are not that prevalent to begin with. Second and preferred option is to replace the insert with plain filter foam/wool, the white material. Some stores sell filter foam in pieces that can be cut to fit the filter chamber. This would then be rinsed weekly, and again replaced when it no longer holds together.

On plants, the main issue is lighting. Without good light, by which I mean intensity and to some extent spectrum, plants will not do well. If you can tell me what type of light you have (T8 or T5 fluorescent tube, LED, screw-in bulbs), what tubes/bulbs you are using, and the tank size, I may be able to offer suggestions. Second plant issue is nutrients. Some can manage without adding fertilizers, others cannot.

By "grassy" plant, are you meaning a tall plant or a ground cover?

Byron.

Byron Hosking, BMus, MA
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Something we all need to remember: The fish you've acquired was quite happy not being owned by you, minding its own business. If you’re going to take it under your wing then you’re responsible for it. Every aspect of its life is under your control, from water quality and temperature to swimming space. [Nathan Hill in PFK]

I'll check my petstore when I go for the filters. Can't find anything online. As far as lighting, this has worried me in the past. I have a LED panel that has 43 LED lights, the panel also has 3 blue lights that are suppose to simulate moon lighting in the water. I knew this question would come up so I've looked everywhere, on the box, in the instructions and I can't find the wattage. In my opinion, it's pretty freakin bright! On the box my aquarium came in, the only thing it says about lighting is that it's suppose to simulate natural sunlight under water. That could be just a sell ploy, but I don't know.

The information about the lighting should be stamped on the bulb itself - if I wanted plants that need stronger light, I would need to go a step up and buy brighter bulbs - advice for that can be found in the technical section as I'm not familiar with lighting - I stick with "easy" plants that do well with the lighting I got with my tank - java fern, fava moss, swordplants, anacharis, etc.

Byron was correct regarding the charcoal - most of the time, we advise people to cut charcoal out of their cartridges and insert some pillow stuffing or foam (or even more bio media such as ceramic rings) to provide more mechanical/bio media - charcoal is really only useful if you've medicated the tank and want to remove the meds - the charcoal will absorb it.

I know next to nothing about LED lighting as I have never tried it. But, if you can post the name of the fixture (or the link to the website, even better) someone may be able to tell us.

BTW, wattage is not much of an indicator of intensity these days. It worked fairly well when all we had were basic fluorescent tubes (back in the 1980's, when I got into planted tanks), but today with all the different types of tubes the wattage is next to useless. It is after all simply the measurement unit for the amount of energy a tube or bulb takes to produce the light. As a quick example, a 10w CFL bulb produces the light intensity of a 40w old incandescent bulb. So with such variance, you can see how useless wattage becomes with respect to intensity. It is useful when comparing the same type of bulb, such as a 10w CFL and 13w CFL, where the latter will obviously be stronger light.

Byron.

Byron Hosking, BMus, MA
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Something we all need to remember: The fish you've acquired was quite happy not being owned by you, minding its own business. If you’re going to take it under your wing then you’re responsible for it. Every aspect of its life is under your control, from water quality and temperature to swimming space. [Nathan Hill in PFK]

I just got back from Petsmart and asked about the lighting, and the filter cartridge. The lighting would be considered low lighting. She said something like a java fern would do well. As for the filter, she said there is very little in the filter cartridge. She has a planted tank and uses the same cartridges I do. I could still cut the charcoal out if that's what you both suggest. With the lighting I'm just going to do plants compatible with my low lighting.